Dear Lifehacker,
Every time I get an unbearably long document filled with legalese—like privacy policies, credit card agreements, and insurance polices—my eyes sort of glaze over and I just sign the whole thing without really knowing what I'm getting into. Is there any way to quickly make sense of these docs so I don't get screwed—without getting a law degree or wasting hours of my life dissecting every word?

Signed,
Lost in Legalese

Dear Lost,
It does seem like every transaction requires a long and boring legal agreement of some kind, whether you just want to install some software or are renting a car. As annoying—and confusing—as these documents tend to be, they're meant to protect both you and the other party, setting expectations and spelling out what will happen if those expectations are broken. Most of us don't have the time to read through all of this stuff carefully, though. Here's how to quickly filter through all those "wherein"- and "forthwith"-laden documents and still protect your rights.

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Consider the Significance of the Document

Mark Lyon, an attorney with eDiscovery, says the type of document you're faced with matters:

I give far less consideration to the agreements relating to things that have little cost or risk but make certain to fully understand contracts that could have significant impacts on my family, property or business. This can sometimes be a tricky balancing act—many businesses, for example, rely on cloud services with little or no guarantee of performance. While it's not impossible to build a successful business using such services, it's important to know the potential risk and to have a plan to respond to problems.

So all those ubiquitous Terms of Service agreements may be skimmable, but agreements that involve money (home loans, job contracts) or your/your loved ones' well-being (life insurance, auto insurance) should be scrutinized more carefully.

You're inundated with new contracts, Terms of Service, privacy policies, and disclaimers for…
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Get the Gist of a Legal Document

First, read the whole thing: Yes, the disappointing news is you should still read the whole legal document, advises Elizabeth Unrath, an attorney and human resources consultant at Der-Parseghian Law Group in Los Angeles. "Even 60-page these-words-don't-make-sense-and-I-secretly-don't-care-all-that-much policies?" I asked. Even then, she says. For lengthy policies, often there's a cover page you can focus on with highlights of the main points. Read through the whole thing so you'll know what changes are made to it in the future, though.

New South Wales government offers a convenient "reading legal documents" checklist to assist you when you're reading a legal document. Just go through the checklist while reading that terrible legal document to make sure you have the most important topics covered and actually understand it.

Know the 5 W's: Another way to quickly get a sense of the most important issues in the document is to scan it with the reporter's model of asking who, what, where, when, and why:

Who: Who is the document from? In the agreement or legal document, look for the names of the parties involved, and pay special attention to the words that represent you (e.g., "mortgagee" or "employee").

Why: What's the purpose of the document? If the document is called "a letter of demand," it means someone wants money from you. A subpoena means it's court-related. The first page and main headings should clue you in to what the document is trying to achieve.

What: "What" could involve a bunch of details:

Is there anything you need to do? A fine or court date might require you to go to court. A job contract might specify specific tasks you need to complete. Look, again, for references to yourself (e.g., "Renter agrees to...") to make sure the document meets your expectations.

What are the customized features of the document? Pre-printed contracts abound, so be on the lookout for filled-in spaces, says Lyon. "Always make certain that the appropriate spaces are filled in. Strike through any inapplicable sections and empty form portions that don't apply to your agreement. "

What are the main points of the document? According to Unrath, you should really understand the fine points of your contracts and agreements: "Make sure you understand your renter's insurance policy when it says it doesn't cover floods. Make sure you understand the difference between collision and uninsured motorist coverages on your auto insurance policy. Make sure you understand the term in your job offer letter that explains when you eligible for the 401(k) plan and under what circumstances you can be terminated." Pay special attention to any parts that are IN ALL CAPS.

When: Are there any deadlines or time limits involved? Pay particular attention to dates (e.g., on loan agreements, when special offers may expire, or on employment contracts, when benefits kick in). There may be time limits for responding to a letter or payment deadlines.

Where: Where the contract is upheld and which states preside over arbitration are usually less important than the other points for the average person, but governing locality can be important for businesses. Where could also mean where you have to file or send this form too, so pay attention to addresses.

Terms of Service and Privacy Policy agreements are next to impossible to read in their entirety.…
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When all else fails, consult a lawyer. Unrath says that she (and likely other lawyers) rarely charges more than $50 to read and explain a contract to someone. That $50 could be the difference between protecting your rights and signing them away.